Small dry water-absorbent beads of cross-linked dextran and similar cross-linked carbohydrates, such as cross-linked starch, cross-linked cellulose, cross-linked agarose, etc. have found extensive commercial use as excellent agents for topical treatment of discharging wounds, such as burn wounds, leg ulcers, bed wounds, etc. See e.g. GB Pat. No. 1,454,055, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The beads are usually applied on the wounds in the form of the dry beads as such (a "powder-like" preparation), or as an ointment or paste formed by simply mixing the beads with glycerol, low molecular polyethylene glycols having an average molecular weight of 400-600, or similar carriers. These preparations have certain drawbacks. For example, the powder-like preparation has the disadvantage that it is difficult to handle and apply, because of its powdery form. The paste preparation represents an improvement of the "powder-like" preparation in that it is more coherent and more convenient to apply to a wound. However, the prior art paste preparations have a tendency to disintegrate on manufacture, storage and use (phase separation), and problems have also been encountered as to the water-absorbent properties of the dry beads.